The invention relates generally to off-road vehicles and more specifically to All Terrain Vehicles or ATVs. The invention relates more specifically to ATVs equipped with supplemental storage compartments.
ATVs serve a variety of functions for a variety of different people. An ATV typically has four wheels on two axles, although some vehicles have either five or six wheels. One or both axles can be driven. ATVs are designed for a single driver that straddles the vehicle and do not provide room for passengers.
Many ATVs are used for professional reasons. For example, a forester may use an ATV to patrol the portion of a forest he or she is responsible for. Farmers use ATVs for transporting and supporting irrigation and spraying equipment. Ranchers use ATVs for moving and controlling cattle, as well as for hauling feed for the cattle. Rescue personnel also use ATVs for reaching potential patients who would otherwise be stranded in rough terrain. ATVs can be used during the heat of summer and in the depths of a midwinter snowfall.
ATVs often are used in functional roles around the house. In wintertime, an ATV can be equipped with a blade for plowing snow. An ATV can be used to pull out small tree stumps. A popular option for ATVs is a dump bed that sits on the rear of the vehicle and can be used to haul bulk materials such as dirt and sand or other materials as desired.
For some, an ATV is purely a recreational vehicle that may be driven along a beach or through the woods on a Saturday afternoon. For others, an ATV has a more functional role. For example, a hunter may use an ATV to reach remote portions of a hunting ground that is too rough to reach by conventional vehicle and too remote to reach on foot. The ATV can be used to haul in supplies and gear and to haul out the day""s bounty.
No matter the intended use of an ATV, one common denominator is a desire for maximizing available storage space. To address this, some ATV manufacturers offer a variety of supplemental storage bags as accessories. For example, a hunter may want an add-on scabbard adapted to hold a rifle. Rescue personnel may utilize add-on storage adapted to hold medical equipment.
These add-on storage bags often mount to the rear rack of an ATV, tying up valuable space. Thus, a need remains for an ATV having enhanced storage capability.
The present invention involves an off-road or all terrain vehicle that is provided with wheel fenders that double as storage compartments. The fenders define a hollow volume into which a variety of desired items can be placed for storage. These storage fenders can be configured and positioned as either front or rear wheel fenders. An off-road vehicle can be equipped with any combination of front and rear wheel storage fenders. A hinged door provides access to the hollow volume but shuts tightly to keep out the elements. The hinged door is readily accessible by a driver of the ATV while seated on the ATV.
Accordingly, the invention is found in an off-road vehicle fender that has front and rear panels that are configured or adapted to a wheel opening contour and are spaced apart. First and second side panels are connected to each of the front and rear panels and the front and rear panels and first and second side panels cooperate to form a storage compartment.